FCTA accredited schools hit 572

The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, last week, presented certificates of accreditation to 140 public and private schools, bringing the total number of accredited schools in the nation's capital to 572.

Secretary, FCTA Education Secretariat, Sen. Isa Maina, who disclosed this while performing presentation ceremony of the certificates to deserving schools, explained that professional bodies were used in the selection process so as to ensure transparency and credibility of the exercise.

According to him, the exercise involved "assessing the mission, goals, resource availabikity, performance and effectiveness of the school in relation to requirements of the National Policy on Education. FCT Guidelines and the National Minimum Standards."

Maina also stated that it also took into cognisance the evaluation of the schools in four thematic areas, including physical faculties and environment; staffing; and curriculum. Other areas used in the evaluation are academic activities and support services as well as welfare.

The secretary also explained that all the schools offered certificates of accreditation met those extant requirements during the 11th and 12th batches accreditation exercise which took place in September 2015 and September 2017.

According to him, "78 schools applied for accreditation in the 11th Batch out of which 61 schools were approved for full accreditation and 133 schools that applied in the 12th Batch, 79 schools were approved for full accreditation.

"Hope is not lost for the schools that were unable to scale through because another opportunity to represent themselves for another accreditation evaluation during the 13th Batch accreditation which has been approved to take place in September 2018."

However, Maina warned that the FCT Administration would not rest until all illegal schools were completely shut down and possibly demolished, even as he warned those accredited to note that accreditation was not an end to itself, but a licence to impact positive service in the development of the sector.

Earlier, the Acting Director, FCT Department of Quality Assurance, Salihu Yahaya, tasked the schools to bear in mind that accreditation certificats would require regular revalidation hence the imperative to maintain their current standards which has earned them this accreditation.

President, FCT Chapter of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, Mrs. Olusola Bankole, noted that the accreditation exercise was the fastest of all, expressing hope that subsequent ones would be faster.

She, however, disclosed that private schools have multiple challenges, which can discourage many proprietors, adding that some private school operators have complained that they would not open their schools due to multiple taxations from different government agencies.